BearX220

Rapid descent technique, plus necessary to line up with an assigned runway close by. A conventional descent begins 30 minutes and more than a hundred miles from the landing point, but on 9/11 the orders were to land immediately at the closest available airport.

milepig

I said earlier that my first flight was a couple weeks after, but actually my first flight was home from CPH on SAS on about 9/14. We were the first non-US carrier flight allowed and we were all scared. SAS was great, I got an op up to F (or I guess on SAS C) we all drank our way home and only after we crossed from Canadian to US airspace did the pilot tell us even the crew wasn't sure we'd be let in. We all cheered, and were soon landing at ORD. Without our luggage, but I didn't care!

freshairborne

I had flown an all-nighter into ORD the night before and had been asleep for an hour on the morning of 9/11/01 when my wife called me and told me to turn on the TV.

The hotel I was in is located on the airport, so later that day I decided to walk over to our flight operations to try and find out more. Security had not been set up beyond it's usual yet, so I just walked into the airport. It was a very erie sight to see the concourses of O'Hare airport with virtually nobody in them, so I took some pictures up and down the concourses, and remember thinking that I hoped I'd never see it like that again. I could see most of the airport from my hotel room, and it was also strange to see absolutely no airplanes landing, taking off, or taxiing.

My F/O on that trip was done when we'd landed that morning so he hopped a flight to PHX to go home. He did not make it home that day. I was at that airport hotel for the next four days, and did not see anyone I knew for that entire time. On 9/15, there were a few flights going, and I deadheaded home. The captain of that flight was one of my new-hire classmates, and he was the first person I recognized since the early morning of 9/11. As we were pushing back, a baggage cart driven by UA ramp service guys drove past the airplane, and I believe that's all they did that day...they held a large American flag as they drove around the ramp area. People cried openly as they saw that.

I was laying over most of the day yesterday at a hotel less than a hundred yards from Ground Zero, and I'd been near that same spot the day before 9/11/01. I paid my respects, in uniform, yesterday, as I do every day I'm flying a UA airplane. I've worn an American Flag tie in lieu of the regulation tie for a long, long time now, and I think it will look nice with our new uniforms eventually.

I was defiantly proud to get into the cockpit of a UA 757 yesterday afternoon and take my passengers into the skies that had been so off limits exactly 12 years earlier, and get yet another glimpse of the Freedom Tower as we banked away from the city for our destination.

FAB

FlyinHawaiian

In memory of all whose lives were lost...

trust77

It is 9/11 here on GUM already. I remember all those who perished on this day. May they all rest in peace. Thank you for posting.

rittenhousesq

I had just gone to this forum to search for this thread and see you have already revived it again. Thanks. The OP's story always moves me to tears.

dsgtc0408

Thank you, FlyinHawaiian, for bumping up this thread. As trust77 mentioned, it is 9/11 in Asia, has been for quite a few hours.

On this day, let's take a moment to remember all those who lost their lives, not just in NY, but in Shanksville and at the Pentagon. Let's also remember the early responders, some of whom perished at the job, others who survived but became ill and to this day are suffering from being in that toxic waste while pulling survivors to safety. Let us be thankful for all the good people who keep us safe each day whether on the ground (TSA too) or in the air, so we can go about our lives confidently. To our friends at United and American, we acknowledge you collectively and individually for your loss(es). You lost colleagues and friends on that terrible day, in the most monstrous way conceivable by twisted minds. Thanks to all of you in aviation for continuing to go to work day in and day out despite being mindful of the heroic sacrifice of some of your colleagues.

For those of us who grew up seeing the Twin Towers every morning, this day is a sacred day. We can and should forgive what was inflicted on us, but we (all of us New Yorkers, whether by birth or through adoption) will never forget.

DenverBrian

Amazingly, we are now at a point where a great many American teenagers have no memory of 9/11 and no memory of a world other than one with terrorism and mideast wars as routine.

I wish I could take them all back to September 10, 2001...the weather was so bright and beautiful throughout the country that day...

relangford

It is 9-11 already here in Korea. Hopefully, there will be no copycat terrorists (like at Bengazy) today. I was working in Houston at the time in 2001 and had just arrived by taxi at IAH to fly to DCA (government meeting at the Residence Inn down the street from the Pentagon). Place seemed a little different than usual. Since the taxi did not have his radio on, I knew nothing of what was going on. Went to the counter to be told there were no flights to DCA, in fact, no flights to anywhere. The agent asked me, "Don't you know what happened?" It was then I learned of the horror and tragedy. When the meeting was rescheduled about three months later, I asked the desk clerk at the hotel if he saw or heard anything. He said, "The plane flew just over the building, very low and very loud, before hitting the Pentagon." I told him that some conspiracy people/idiots were saying that no plane hit the Pentagon and that the CIA (or somebody) just blew it up. He said, "I saw it fly over and heard it hit, but didn't see it hit. Yes, there was a plane."

It is tragic that we now live in a world where ignorant, misguided malcontents can kill, rape, kidnap, and plunder in the name of twisted understanding of religion.

jewels421

I remember sitting out on my deck in Chicago that night (beautiful night), looking up at the sky at the flashing lights of planes, and finding it so strange to know that they were fighter jets patrolling the city.

riphamilton

reminded me of this article i had read months ago on the AFA's site:

http://www.unitedafa.net/news/details.aspx?id=8632 (includes an image)

united4

Does anybody have a high-res photo of the UA and AA 737s next to President Bush on the 1 year anniversary? And then a high-res of the UA and AA 757s at LAX on the 10th anniversary?

jetaway96

Sep, 10th 01, I was working flights from IAD-BOS-ORD-OMA. The first 2 segments were on the 757-200. The next day, we departed early morning flight from OMA and heading to DEN. As we were landing, it happened. We found out what was going on as we were walking down the concourse. I was stucked in DEN for 4 days.

Sep 10th , 02. I had the exact same trip paring. I almost calling sick for the trip and about to have a break down. However, I tried not to let them win and work that unevenful trip.

To all the people who has lost their lives on Sep 11th ,01. You are always in my mind. I have worn the memorial pin on my uniforms ever since.

powerup25

Never saw this thread before, but it brought me to tears.

DBCme

Great thread. The stories are good, particularly the OP accounts of it.